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First Utility Reviews

1.2 Rating 127 Reviews

4 %

of reviewers recommend First Utility

Company Reviews

1.2

Based on 127 reviews


Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Courier
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Live Chat, Email
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.1 out of 5

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First Utility 1 star review on 30th September 2022

First Utility 1 star review on 16th July 2022

First Utility 1 star review on 16th July 2022

First Utility 1 star review on 16th July 2022

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Helpful None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“AVOID......AVOID......AVOID. I took over a house and these incompetents were the Energy suppliers. I've told them the house is empty. I've told them that the gas is not connected. Apart from the odd power tool or light bulb, nothing is being used!! That doesn't stop them sending massive estimated bills. If you have the nerve to be ill or be away on the day they want your meter reading(5th of each month)then they immediately send an estimated bill. They have caused me so much anxiety. I started an official complaint. They sent me standard email after email, then asked if they could now "close" the complaint. I realised I was wasting my time, so I said 'yes'. The day after I got an email saying that my bill has now been handed over to Debt Collection!.....even though they now have actual readings. You cannot get through on the phone.....PLEASE AVOID FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. DONT SAY YOU WERENT WARNED.”

Posted 4 years ago

“The company are bordering on a scam. They failed to set up an account with online access for me. I tried several times. First Utility kept sending threatening emails with no account details, no amounts and no breakdown or tariff info - just requesting I pay (no clue as to what amount)! I called to sort this and complain and was put through to their circular customer service number.”

Posted 5 years ago

“On the 24th October 2018 i cancelled my broadband account due to unforeseen circumstances. The account was only opened within 14 days of cancellation so i should have had a cancellation free of charge but i didn't. I understand that there is a 30 day cancellation period, so my account was cancelled on the 24th November and i was told i could pay my final bill from then. I phoned yourselves as i had not received an email with my final bill and was told that i would get it on 5th December instead for £266. Today, 5th December, i still have not received a final bill so i called you again and was told the bill had not yet been produced. How long does it take to produce a bill!? Meanwhile, i was receiving emails from yourself stating i owe £72 to recover my account, if not debt collectors will be at my door. I do not want to recover my account as i personally closed it. When i called and asked about this, no-one really knew what i was meant to do, whether i needed to pay it or wait for my final bill... I have now been told i will receive my final bill around the 19th December which will include the £266 cancellation fee, plus £20 usage fee and possibly plus the £72, which has randomly been added! Every time i have called to speak to someone, i have waited over half an hour and never got an answer by the first person i have spoken to, My average phone call with you is usually around an hour long... absolutely ridiculous!! So now, 6 weeks after i cancelled my account with you, I am still waiting my final bill! All i want to do is pay you and yet i am receiving hate mail stating that you are sending round debt collectors when i do not even know what i am meant to be paying yet!! I am 19 years old and on minimum wage, I hope you feel very proud of yourselves for making this such an horrific experience for me! I will be taking this further, as i am absolutely fuming! Disgraceful company!”

Posted 5 years ago

“Shell energy are absolutely awful. Their estimates are ridiculous and they find ways of putting you in debt for estimated bills you don't owe. They shout at you on the phone and have zero understanding of their own pricing system. Hands down worst utility supplier I have ever encountered”

Posted 3 years ago

“Whatever you do, DO NOT join this service. If I could give them 0 stars, I would. They charge you a ridiculous amount and as a student I cannot afford it. Whenever I have tried to contact them about something they have been extremely rude and unprofessional. They are liars and thieves.”

Posted 4 years ago

“Switched to Shell because they advertised cheaper fuel rates. Was initially billed £78 a month but this soon went up to £110. Since joining I have never been able to log into my account. Despite many emails over many months it was still not resolved. Trying to phone and talk to someone is a nightmare. Every button on the website always takes you back to the 'live chat' virtual assistant. When the questions get too hard for it, it tells you to log into your account!! I eventually put a complaint in. Low and behold, I received a few emails stating they were dealing with the case, followed promptly by one which said the complain was now resolved so now closed. I still could not log into my account. I was now back to square one again with the emails and trying to talk to someone. I have now cancelled my DD, lets see how fast it is before someone now rings me I will never use this company again!”

Posted 4 years ago

“Awful company, thank god i wasn't a signed up member! Moved into a property supplied by Shell Energy, switched straight away, took meter reading and supplied to them on the 1st day. Then they start sending text messages to say to call a number to pay, search of the number online shows it as a scamming number rated as 'Dangerous' on 'Who Called Me'. When you call the number they want all your personal details and bank details without even confirming anything to prove who they are and they know who is calling them, they ended up hanging up on me when I asked them to confirm some of my details even just my door number. Go to the website, its just as bad trying to get some contact details, eventually had to fill out a form as even the online chat isn't a chat, its automated. Eventually get an email from them confirming the details, and I pay and send them confirmation via email, then I continue to get threatening messages about outstanding payment and debt collectors. Awful company, I'm guessing staff members have increased their ratings on Trustpilot, have a look at their ratings on some other sites.”

Posted 4 years ago

“My Shell Energy experience has been quite appalling from waiting nearly an hour on the phone only to be cut off when 6th in the queue from 75th and then not being believed regarding a meter reading. Final straw came when the call back as promised did not materialise and so the saga goes on. To anyone thinking of joining Shell Energy ...... don't - you will bitterly regret you decision”

Posted 4 years ago

“Only with Shell energy for a short while paid £170 per month, after leaving I paid my final bill only to be sent another for a separate amount, I asked for them to provide a breakdown of that bill as I didn't believe I owed it, only to be sent another bill with no breakdown of charges, then I started receiving text stating that they will be taking further action, so I reluctantly paid the bill, only for them to say I haven't and continue with the threatening text. I rung customer service only to be put on hold for over an hour and cut off. Still unresolved, so annoying to spend hours on the phone with rude staff when I can prove I've paid my final bill. Poor customer service, don't go near this company!”

Posted 4 years ago

“I am contacting ombudsman energy as they are charging me more than agreeing on contract. Be extremely careful if you have smart meters installed on your property. ask the engineer to sign a paper indicating the date of the exchange, and the last reading, his name and the name of his company. Shell energy pretends smart meters have been installed in May. The have been changed in July. They reporting the reading of July as May reading and they are charging me 2 extra months of energy consumption. It is entirely dishonest, that's pure robbery and I have had to pen a case with Ombudsman. Be careful if your supplier is Shell Energy (ex First Utility). Be careful with smart meters. DISGUSTING, UNFAIR, ROBBERS.”

Posted 4 years ago

“After 7 months my moving out I recive a bill £1500. My final bill was in credit 900£ they send me cheque for that. Now they try grab me £1500. Ive got letter with due date in 2 days must ti be paid!. Just a f***** joke!! Anybody recommended good lawer in hull? I think go to court. I spend hours on line without results. My final meter was 0497 but they send me bill for 1049. I asked did you see different? I have still photos. They said doesnt matter i must to pay”

Posted 4 years ago

“During my year as a First Utility customer (prior to them becoming Shell Energy) I had an issue with my meter, which was confirmed by a member of their support team. This was reported in October and despite being assured this would be fixed/replaced, come May when I moved out, it had not been nor had an appointment been re-arranged after their engineer cancelled at the last minute in March. A few months later, they sent me a bill for £1500 (9 months of payments apparently) saying that they were satisfied they'd fixed the issue...obviously this wasn't the case whilst I was in the property. Numerous months of back and forth later, they said they'd lower it to £850 based on an estimate. Having admitted that that their equipment was faulty and then not charging me whilst the issue was being 'resolved', it seems rather extraordinary that they can pick numbers out of the air like this! Still deciding whether to take to small claims court as clearly they are just guessing at this point to try and get some money out of me...”

Posted 4 years ago

“I have my broadband through them an d it's a joke, I only joined them on the 11th Jan and it's the worst service ive ever had, the internet constantly drops out and now I've been with out any phone line or internet for 3 days they have given me 5 days saying bt may be out to fix it on one of them in the afternoon but what day is anyone's guess, DO NOT join them no matter how good the offer is.”

Posted 5 years ago

“Where to start... in a nutshell, my bill was estimated to be arounbd £30 pm. Having started to receive bills over £150pm, I complained to First Utility. Their investigation went on for 26 months!!! In one month, First Utility threatened me with legal action if I failed to pay £600 in 24 hrs. Eventually, following months of agony and heartache, following the intervention of the Ombudsman, my complaint led to a Check Meter fitment, proving I was correct all along. First Utility paid me back nearly £4,000 under pressure from the Ombudsman plus a very small (£150) gesture of goodwill. My advice to anyone and everyone is that yes, we all know that things go wrong, but the sign of a good company is how they respond. I would absolutely save yourself the pain and challenge and go elsewhere... AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!! AVOID!!!”

Posted 5 years ago

“Online support live chat takes you nowhere. They read from a script and it's like banging your head against a wall. Phoned customer services. Round and round on entering data on phone keypad, account number, date of birth, post code, press a number, then back to entering all the data again. Then waited 45 minutes to be answered for guy to say "hello I can't hear you" and he then put the phone down. Direct Debit data does not match the tariff offer cost. Trying to get clear answers is impossible. Terrible customer service.”

Posted 5 years ago

“Several months ago a man came to my house and asked to have a fire hydrant placed on my property. I said no because my property is heavily wooded and I didn’t want my trees cut down. There are places just several feet from my place that have no trees but they both belong to a business so I guess they were not about to ruin their yards. On June 14 of this year they came here while I was gone and cut a very large section out of my property. They completely removed at least 2 dozen trees. The space is large enough for 2 cars to park. My trees are gone and it is so ugly. They put their hydrant in. It will soon turn into a dump when people just pull into that spot and leave trash and brush. I am almost 80 years old and fell in my yard recently breaking my hip. If it turns into a dump I could get a fine unless it is cleaned. I can’t see it from my house so I can’t stop it. I will have to clean it in days the hip pain is not real bad or pay to have it done out of my social security. I have lived here over 30 years and that company has ruined my property.”

First Utility 1 star review on 16th July 2022

First Utility 1 star review on 16th July 2022

First Utility 1 star review on 16th July 2022

Posted 1 year ago

“1 star is far too much for this company, I was moved to them because of my supplier went bust in October and as my supplier had already increased my monthly charge from £66 to £99 for the winter months and I was in credit of £242 before they went bust I didn’t expect a problem, as we were suppose to be protected by Ofgem!. I never received a bill from shell energy but I supplied meter readings every time I was asked and continued to pay my direct debit like I was asked to the higher amount for the winter months! 5 months later shell send me a bill that says I am being charged £847!!! For the months they have taken over to now! Not taking into account the money I have been paying as asked £99 a month they have charged me £847 on top! I straight away emailed to asked what is going on and shells response is they charge more than my previous supplier and nothing I can do! At no point was I ever told shell were going to charge more than twice what my supplier who went bust was charging me! I do not use any more energy than previous years. So now she’ll want £380! A month! To cover the cost of what they want to charge and the amount they have now put me into debt! I have complained and they have tried to say it is my previous supplier problem they should have told me to put my payments up! How would they have known what shell were going to charge?? So I have complained and complained and got no where only other than they have offered me £50 good will for a short fall in their service!! I have refused this and asked for a deadlock letter so I can at least get some help from the ombudsman because I cannot take the stress anymore and they are just plain rude and not helpful, I feel I have been taken advantage off by being put with them and I cannot leave and now I am in debt to them. I have today raised the complaint to the ombudsman and gave them all the evidence and what a surprise I have had an email to say shell have been in contact with them! Within hours “to query the acceptance of your complaint””

Posted 1 year ago

“Shell energy complaint. My issue has been on going from December 2022. It has now been over a week and no one has contacted me regarding my complaint and I have expressed many times for a manager to contact me. This is not the first complaint I have logged a complaint with Shell since they started providing energy to us. I am extremely disappointed and unsatisfied with the services so far and no one seems to take ownership and fully resolve the issue. Time and time again I get told you are sorry and will sort this and promise me a better outcome. I would now like to log this with ombudsman, however Shell have not compiled to the complaint procedure. I have tried to call and everytime I call I get told that someone was working on my case and you will get the person to call me back, this has not happened. You speak with some people who are incompetent and does not speak good English with poor quality telephone service. If it wasn't for the way the energy prices are I would of switched buy now, however I am strongly looking into this.”

Posted 2 years ago

“Now known as SHELL ENERGY this company failed to connect a 90 year old's telephone and left her without a phone line (she lives alone) in the middle of this pandemic. Call centre staff polite but harassed - they are not provided with sufficient information to help customers and the phone installation department does not take or make calls. The recorded message facility to leave feedback was unable to record because it was full! I'm not surprised. To sum up: Shell Energy Retail Ltd can't connect phone lines Shell Energy Retail Ltd won't connect phone lines Shell Energy Retail Ltd can't make phone calls Shell Energy Retail Ltd can't receive messages on an answerphone AVOID this company at all costs.”

Posted 2 years ago

“AVOID SHELL ENERGY (first utility) LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! we were with another company for 5 years and never had an issue, as soon as shell took over we magically suddenly owed them 100s of £££ for one years usage, at first call they admitted it must be fault but two years later the issue is still unresolved. Nobody will take any further responsibility for it being wrong and our owing is now over £3,000 because we cabt afford to pay them what thry demand monthly, they are SO unhelpful that we now just refuse to make any payments at all, they ring, text and email multiple times a day which is aggressive and harrrassing. During the pandemic its responsibile for all my mental health and depression issues, we feel completely trapped by them with absolutely no way out, I REFUSE to pay money we dont have and that we didn't spend in the first place. All you have to do is join all the shell company Facebook groups to see this is a frequent scam they seem to employ on unsuspecting previously loyal and well paying people, i didnt ask to be signed up to shell and now we are stuck with this TERRIBLE company forever! Shame on you. One day your constant harrassment will be the end of me.”

Posted 3 years ago

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First Utility is rated 1.2 based on 127 reviews